Developments and Changes
by dustytiger
Summary: Prentiss and Reid are getting ready to welcome their new baby, but first they need to tell a few more people, and deal with a few more bumps, but mostly of the fluff variety. AU in my Prentiss Reid series.
1. Sharing the News

Title: Developments and Changes Part 1: Sharing the News  
Author: Trista Groulx  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds, it belongs to its creator, network, writers, actors and actresses who bring it to life.  
Summary: Prentiss and Reid are getting ready to welcome their new baby, but first they need to tell a few more people, and deal with a few more bumps, but mostly fluff.  
Notes: This is in my Prentiss/Reid series, starting with Wedding Date Blues. There are only a few more of these left then I'm trying something new, same pairing more drama I promise.

* * *

Reid and Prentiss entered Bennington's, Reid was holding her hand, trying to reassure her. The last time they had seen Diana was after her stroke, and she hadn't remembered that they had been married. They went over to the nurses station.

"Good morning Doctor Reid, we didn't know you were coming today," one of the nurses said smiling.

"I wanted to surprise her. How is she doing?" he asked.

"She's doing very well, she's got her mobility back since the stroke, but her memory is still affected."

"All right, thank you for the heads up."

"Is your wife going in with you?"

"Yes, of course she is. We need to tell her something."

"All right, well good luck. Mister Gideon left about an hour ago, so she should be relaxed."

"Thank you."

They walked toward her room. His hand was on the small of her back. He knocked gently on the door. Reid was holding Prentiss' hand. He was nervous about telling his mother about the baby. Mostly because he was not sure that they would get the same reaction they would have before she had had the stroke. Diana looked at her door, and her face lit up when she saw her son standing there with his wife, at least she thought that the woman was his wife.

"Spencer!" Diana's face lit up when she saw him. "And – Emily?"

"Hi Mom, yes Emily," he said smiling.

"Hi Missus Reid," Prentiss said softly.

"Is there something you need to tell me?" Diana asked her daughter in law.

Emily couldn't help but smile. Her hands went to her slightly protruding belly. She was glad that Diana had noticed it. She always liked it when people noticed that she was pregnant. One people figured it out they usually thought she was only a few weeks along, and were always surprised that she was more then half way trough. She wasn't surprised that Diana had noticed, she was a lot like Reid in the way she saw the world.

"Yes, there is," she was grinning. "I'm pregnant."

"I thought so, a mother just knows. How far along are you?"

"Thirty weeks."

Diana couldn't believe her ears. Thirty weeks was three quarters through the pregnancy. She was shocked that she was only learning about this development now. Her son had never kept anything from her before. She tried not to look hurt, but she was upset about this. She knew that she forgot about Emily at times since the stroke, but she never thought her son would keep anything from her.

"Thirty? Spencer! Why am I just finding out about this now?"

"We just found out ourselves, and this is the first time we have been able to fly down to see you," Reid defended. "I couldn't tell you this in a letter Mom."

"All right, I believe you. I wish I had looked that good when I was thirty weeks pregnant. I was such a mess with Spencer, I was off my medication, and that made me gain so much weight, besides the pregnancy weight. But I think Spencer was well worth all the misery went through."

"Misery?" asked Reid, surprised.

"Spencer you may have been my perfect child, but that doesn't mean that getting you was easy for me. You were parked in my uterus and I thought you might never leave! You were over a week past your due date and I was still in labour for thirty hours. But then I got to hold you for the first time and none of that mattered anymore. I had my perfect little boy."

Prentiss always loved to watch the way Reid would blush and squirm when his mother would dote on him. She thought that it was sweet how much his mother loved him. There were times when she wished her own mother would be like that. She couldn't help but smile at the look on Reid's face. He got slightly pale, just like he would when Prentiss would wince when the baby would kick too hard. Reid hated it when his wife was in pain, and he coudln't take it away. Sometimes he felt like the pain she was in from the pregnancy was all his fault, and would feel guilty.

"I hope that you are not in labour that long Emily," Reid mumbled. "I don't think I could stand to see you in pain for that long."

"Even if I am, our baby will be worth it," Prentiss assured him. "You'll get through it Spencer, just like you always do."

"Thank you for having faith in me. I'll try my best to be there for you. I don't want to miss that."

"You know Spencer your father had trouble staying with me through everything," Diana explained. "I should have known then that we might have had a few problems then. He said he would have liked it better if we lived a time where men had nothing to do with the delivery room."

"I think it's going to be interesting, after all I want to see how a new person comes into the world," Reid explained. "Even if I'm a little bit unsure about all of this, I still want to be there for Emily."

"I know you will be there," Prentiss smiled. "Do you think you can go find me some tea?"

"Sure, Mom would you like some at the same time?"

"Yes, please, Spencer, thank you," Diana replied.

Spencer left in search of tea for his wife and mother. He knew that would both want a decaf tea of some sort, and they had asked him to leave because they wanted to talk about something he wasn't supposed to be involved in. He hoped there would be something good in the kitchen. Prentiss was glad she got to be alone for a few minutes with Reid's mother, she wanted to talk to her about the pregnancy, her own mother wasn't that open about it. Diana looked at Prentiss, taking Prentiss' hand gently.

"What's on your mind Emily?" Diana asked her daughter in law.

"It's Spencer. He's read all of these books about what to expect during pregnancy, but there are still parts of it that freak him out. I want to help him but I don't know how."

"Books don't do a very good job of explaining how a child moves as it is growing inside a woman. He was never exposed to it when he was growing up. He's an only child with no aunts or uncles. Until Haley and JJ had their sons he had never been around children."

"So what do I do?"

Prentiss wasn't surprised that he hadn't been around children before. For a man who hadn't been around kids growing up he certainly had picked up on everything quickly. S he found it a little sad that Reid had no cousins. She always thought that he may have babysat for neighbourhood kids. Then she realised that he was always so ahead in school he probably didn't have time to have any kind of after school job.

"Just help him, and nudge him in the right direction when he's doing something wrong. I still remember the letter he wrote me after Henry was born, and he was asked to be the godfather. He was so excited because someone trusted him with their child. He explained how he could practice what he learned about children on someone else's child before he had any of his own. This is all new to him Emily, and things that are new can sometimes be scary even for someone as smart as Spencer."

Emily nodded. "I think I understand. But is he going to be all right in the delivery room, if baby kicks make him uncomfortable I can just picture him fainting when I'm labour."

"He might be a little unsure about everything, but he loves you enough to stand by you."

"How do you know that? I want him there but I don't want him to uncomfortable."

"I know that because I know my son. I see the way he looks at you. He wants the same thing for you as you want for him. The difference is that although he unsure about everything right now, he's fascinated by it. He is learning how everything really happens as he goes. Normally he can figure it out before it happens, and that's what is making him so uncomfortable."

"I never really thought about it that way before. I'll just have to keep helping him through everything."

"You're doing a good job of it. But if he misses the delivery then he will miss the end, and that will bug him, so he will stay with you. I know Spencer he will be there holding your hand and getting you whatever you need the whole time."

"I don't know why I am so worried about all of this. I know logically that he's going ot be fine, and he's not going anywhere. I've seen him with Henry he is so sweet. I just keep thinking maybe it will be different because we are having a girl."

"It's normal to be nervous the first time you become a parent. The only difference will be that she will have him wrapped around her tiny little finger at hello. So I'm going to have a grand-daughter?"

"Yes, I'm sorry I should have mentioned it sooner. We still haven't chosen a name yet, Spencer just calls her Amorino whenever he talks to her. He talks her telling her silly stories every night before we go to bed, it's so sweet. He says he wants her to know his voice."

"That sounds like Spencer. I have some of his old books from when he was a baby. I'll find them so he can read to her."

"Thank you," Prentiss laughed. "He will be thrilled to do that. He says he doesn't remember reading children's books when he was young, so he says he's not sure what he should buy for her."

"I'll get him started. He doesn't know that I kept them when I moved here. I can't believe that you are thirty weeks along."

"You'll believe it when you feel her kick, she's getting pretty strong."

"May I?" she asked, Prentiss nodded, and Diana put her hand on Prentiss' belly. "She is very strong, which means she is probably healthy."

"I like to think so. It's so different when it's you that it's happening to you. I've felt my friends' babies kick, but it's so strange when you start to feel it yourself."

"I remember that with Spencer, he was very active, there were times where I wondered if he would ever sleep."

"She does like to move a lot, but I've found that when Spencer tells her stories, usually about him growing up, it calms her down enough that I can sleep."

"He's so considerate. I always tried to teach him to treat women a certain way. I'm glad that he listened."

"I am too, he's one of the sweetest guys I know," Prentiss explained, grinning.

Reid came into the room with two mugs in his hands. He handed one to his mother then the other to Prentiss. He never liked it when people got quiet when he went into a room. It usually meant they were talking about them. Even though it was his wife and mother he was still uncomfortable.

"Were you talking about me?" he asked.

"No," they both replied at the same.

He blushed a little. "Thank you for lying. I hope you like the tea."

"Thank you Spencer," said Diana, as he handed her her cup first.

Reid handed Prentiss her cup. "It's prefect Spencer" she assured him after she took a sip.

"What do you think, Amorino, that's better then all the coffee mommy likes to drink."

"You're on about my coffee intake?" Prentiss asked.

Diana laughed. "Spencer she is your daughter, she will probably come out with a coffee mug and ten sugars in her hand. Did you know he has been drinking coffee since he was eleven Emily?"

"Eleven?" Prentiss asked surprised.

"How did you know that!"

"I'm your mother Spencer, I know these things."

"Why would you start drinking coffee at eleven?" Prentiss asked, confused.

"I was in high school, my classmates were all drinking it I wanted to fit in, not that it helped."

"I learn something new about you every day, Spencer."

"I need some rest, Spencer," Diana said softly. "If you are still in town tomorrow I'd love to see you again."

"Sure Mom, it all depends on if there's a case, but we'll try our best." He kissed his mother's forehead. "I love you Mom."

"I love you too Spencer, now go find something to eat."

"I will," he chuckled.

The two of them left the sanatorium where Diana lived. They were both relieved that she had not been upset by the news. She was doing a lot better now that she was home. They drove back to their hotel.

End part one

Notes: I figured that Prentiss and Diana needed a little bit of bonding time. Plus I like to think about little poogy-baby Reid lol. This whole thing is just basically tying up the lose ends before the baby is born, the next four parter in the series will be the baby actually coming.


	2. Facing Old Foes

Title: Developments and Changes Part 2: Facing old Foes  
Author: Trista Groulx  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds, it belongs to its creator, network, writers, actors and actresses who bring it to life.  
Summary: Prentiss and Reid are getting ready to welcome their new baby, but first they need to tell a few more people, and deal with a few more bumps.  
Notes: This part goes out to TinaQTICO2 for the idea. As soon as I read her review a plot bunny formed. I'm sorry it took so long to get him out there. Hope you love it, all of you really.

* * *

After they visited with Diana, Reid and Prentiss had the rest of the day to enjoy in Las Vegas. Reid had gotten them tickets to a show. They decided it would be quicker to eat at the hotel restaurant. Prentiss had decided to buy a new dress, and wanted to surprise Reid with it, so she had sent him down ahead of her to get a table in case there was a dinner rush. He was now sitting at the table waiting for her to come down.

"Oh my god, that's that genius kid from our high school," he heard a female voice giggle from the table next to him.

"You're right," he heard a male voice agree. "Look he's here all alone. Who goes to a restaurant alone?"

"What a surprise, he was so strange and awkward back in school."

"We should go over and talk to him, so he doesn't have to eat alone."

"Good idea."

Reid glanced over and the party of four who were sitting next to him. He couldn't believe it. The woman was a not very well aged Alexa Lisbon, who seemed to be still friends with the same goons as high school. Reid couldn't believe that he had actually managed to end up eating in the same restaurant as them that night.

"You are that genius kid?" Alexa asked. "Spencer Reid, who graduated from Las Vegas High when he was like twelve, right?"

"Yeah, uh," he said, not believing who it was, he never thought he'd see them again. "I'm actually waiting for someone."

He was trying to be polite, despite what she had done him all those years ago he hated being rude. He hoped that she would get the hint and leave him alone. Instead she sat at the seat across from him, which was going to be where Prentiss would sit when she came down. He took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. He kept telling himself he wasn't a high school kid anymore. He was an FBI agent with three doctorates. He was a married man, with a child on the way, and these people should have no power over him anymore. They were just a page in history which should be able to erase.

Reid had wanted some of the people he had gone to high school with to see him with Prentiss, but these were not the people he had in mind. They had been the bane of his existence for so long, and now here they were again. He would have been perfectly happy to live his life without ever seeing Alexa and her former football player friends again. He took a deep breath, reminding him he was not a high school student anymore. He wished he could close his eyes and make them disappear. Instead he nervously played with his wedding band, thinking about Prentiss, which made him feel a lot more at ease.

"I'll move when he gets here, no worries," she assured him, smiling at him. "Do you remember me?"

"I have eidetic memory, so yes, unfortunately I do remember you Alexa. I also remember your friends as well as all the things you did to me."

"I guess we were kind of horrible to you in high school sometimes, we're we?"

"Kind of horrible, that's how you explain how you acted in high school?" he asked. "I realise that I was somewhat of an anomaly, but that doesn't excuse your behaviour."

"But we're all adult now, can't we try to make amends?"

Reid could not believe that she was actually asking him that. These people were not his friends in high school, and he certainly didn't want to be friends with anyone like that now. He was still trying to find a way to politely tell them to leave, but he had a feeling that they wouldn't leave that easily. He knew they hadn't really changed since he had last had to see them.

"I'd rather not, honestly. Can you maybe sit somewhere else?" he asked. "I suggest your own table. I'm waiting for someone and she'll want to sit down when she gets here."

"Are you just saying that so we'll go away? I mean wouldn't you rather not eat alone. You did that enough in school."

"I'm not planning on eating alone, not that who I am dining with tonight is any of your business. I would appreciate it if you would just leave me alone"

"Are you still afraid of us after all this time?" Alexa asked. "Look that was high school, and we were stupid back then. We're all adults now, and I thought maybe we could just talk, you know like old friends."

"We're not old friends, and I'm not afraid of you anymore," Reid sighed. "I'm a grown man, who carries a weapon as part of his job. I don't want you to be sitting here when my wife comes down to join me."

"Aww, you think that little wifey will get all jealous of Alexa here?" one of the men asked, Reid recalled his name was Rob. "Cause I'll vouch for the fact she never touched you, 'cause she knows she got a good thing with me."

Alexa looked about ten years older then she actually was. Her hair was already mostly grey, and she wasn't doing a good job of hiding it. She already had crows feet around her eyes, and he could tell by the wrinkles that were forming around her mouth that her nicotine habit had only grown since high school. He realised that none of his former high-school foes had aged very well. Of course going out and getting drunk, while playing slots till all hours of the night was not a good way to age gracefully.

"I highly doubt she'll be jealous. I would just like her to be able sit down when she arrives for dinner," Reid explained.

"Whatever Spencer, I still don't totally believe you actually have a wife, so we'll just stick around right here until she appears, 'kay?"

"Whatever," Reid mumbled not caring anymore.

Prentiss had come down to join Reid for dinner. She was wearing a long purple maternity dress, which actually showed her pregnant silhouette. It had had taken her a while, but she had finally found the perfect dress. She had always wanted to look pregnant, but her and Reid's little baby genius had other ideas. She wasn't really upset about not gaining a lot of weight, but she did want to look pregnant since she was thirty weeks along.

She was surprised that he seemed to be talking to a group of people. She wondered if they might be old friends of his. She realised as she got closer that they were not friends. She knew that look on his face, he was nervous, and he felt cornered. She walked over to the table, determination in her eyes. She hate to see that look in his eyes, he looked like he was a scared teenager again. No one made her husband feel like that while she was around.

She held her head up high, as she sashayed over to where he was sitting. Her hand went to her belly protectively as she walked. Reid, always the gentleman, stood up when he saw her coming. When she got close he hugged her gently, smiling at her, glad that she was there. He just hoped that his high school nemesis would get the hint and leave them alone. He had gotten what he had wanted, for them to see his beautiful wife. All he wanted was for them to wonder how he had managed to find a woman like her.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Baby," she practically purred, pulling him close to her, and kissing him deeply. "Hmm, if your friend doesn't move I'm gonna have to sit on your lap. As much as I love your lap, there isn't as much room now that our little baby genius is finally growing in here." She rubbed her pregnant belly.

"Alexa was just leaving," Reid muttered, he gently touching Prentiss' belly to help him to calm down.

Prentiss knew that name. She had heard the stories about what had happened to him because of her in high school. She wasn't normally the kind of person who would seek revenge, but there was something about this woman that made her blood boil. Reid gently squeezed Prentiss' hand, trying to get her to back off as Alexa and her friends went back to their own table. Prentiss wanted to tell the woman off, but Reid's hand on hers stopped her. She couldn't believe the woman had had the nerve to pounce on him when he was alone, and that Reid didn't even want to exact any kind of revenge.

"Emily, you look, amazing," he told her, hoping she would just ignore the scene she had walked into, since they had left.

He then very gently rubbed her belly a small smile had crossed his lips. Since they had first found out about the baby he was getting more comfortable with the way her body was growing. The first time he felt the baby kick Prentiss had to hold his hand to her belly, but now he would sometimes put his hands on her to feel the small kicks, which thrilled them both. He didn't like it when the kicks were stronger, and he still got a little freaked out when he could actually see her belly move from kicks and punches from the baby.

"Thank you, Spencer. I hope I'm dressed properly for whatever you have planned. So that's her?" she asked, not really trying to keep her voice quiet.

"The dress is perfect. Yeah, that's them, her, you've seen them. Now can we drop this, please?"

"Why? She waltzed over here thinking that you were all alone 'cause she wanted to torture you, again! I know women like that, they're all the same."

"Calm down, you'll upset the baby."

"She's fine, she's used to her mom getting a little worked up once in a while. I just want that woman to know what kind of man you became, despite what she did to you."

"She wasn't alone in what happened."

"Are you telling me that those men with her weren't her muscle?"

"No, I don't think that being horrible back to them is going to change the past. It's not going to make me feel better about what happened," he sighed.

"Weren't you the one who said you wanted to see someone from high school the last time you were here?"

"I did say that, but all I wanted was for them to know that I have a beautiful wife, and that I am not just some socially awkward genius kid anymore. They don't need to know everything about my life since that day. I just wanted them to see you and how amazing you are. The fact that you are pregnant was a huge bonus to me. That's really all I ever wanted."

Before their dinner came Prentiss noticed Alexa had gone into the washroom. Prentiss excused herself. She loved having the excuse of having his baby sitting on her bladder any time she wanted to do anything. She followed Alexa into the restaurant washroom. She knew that Reid would be upset that she was doing this, but she didn't care. She wanted this woman to know great Reid had turned out.

She stood there staring in the mirror waiting for the woman to come out of the stall. She knew Reid didn't want her to know the details of their life, but Prentiss wanted her to know the kind of man she had dismissed all those years ago. She knew logically that at the time there had been such an age difference between them. But now Reid was married to a woman who was the same age Alexa.

"You married Spencer Reid," Alexa laughed.

"Yes, I did marry him. You know he's Doctor Reid now, right?"

"I heard something about him getting some PhDs not that hard for a guy who graduated high school before puberty. The bump you're showing off, is it really his?"

Prentiss couldn't believe that the woman would ask her something that that. People like that never really changed they were always vile. This just made her want to get her revenge even more. Being a profiler sometimes helped when she ran into old bullies over her own because she could read signs and shock them into not bothering her again, and that was what she was going to do to this woman, even if it wasn't for her this time.

"Of course she's his!" she snapped, her hand was around her belly protectively.

"At your age you don't get a lot of chances to have babies," Alexa stated. "I guess you'll take anyone you can get."

"I chose Spencer, because he is the most amazing man I have ever known, and I don't mean his brain."

"Whatever, you don't need to defend him like he's a child. I mean seriously you're my age, why would you be with someone so much younger then you. Are you some kind of cougar or something?"

"I think you don't know what the definition of cougar is. We work together, and age is just a number, what matters is how you act."

"You really do sound like his mother," she laughed. "I guess he needs that though."

"He doesn't need anything. Just because Spencer is too nice to tell you that you're a bitch, doesn't mean I don't want to."

"You don't even know me."

"I don't have to know you to know who you are. It's my job to know what people are like."

"I knew he couldn't be a real FBI agent," Alexa giggled. "You're profilers? That's so funny. I mean you don't even have to pass the normal physical tests. Rob and the boys sure will find that funny."

"Rob's the big, bald one right?"

"Yeah."

"He's your husband?"

"Yup," she replied grinning.

"Profiling isn't a joke. I met you for a few seconds and I knew that you were married to him, and that you support him."

"That's my choice, and it's none of your business."

"I guess you're right it's not. It's also not my business that he cheats on you, but I know that too."

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

"At least I can turn off my bitch side. I can also keep my husband from going off and fucking anything with breasts that bats her eyes at him."

"Bitch," Alexa growled, before leaving the bathroom.

Prentiss winced when she felt the baby kick her. "All, I'm mommy's sorry Amorino. I won't use those words again. You are so like your daddy. We should get back out there before he sends our server in after us again."

She left the bathroom, not surprised to see Alexa and her group of friends leaving. She went over and sat down, taking Reid's hand. He knew that she had done something, but he decided not to ask her about it. He was just glad that they would be able to enjoy their meal without those people there.

He then went and got her wrap, and put it around her shoulders. He was glad that no one was watching them as they left the restaurant. He let his hand slip down her backside to rest on her ass as they walked to the theatre where they were going to see the show.

End part 2

Notes: I really liked the way this turned out, I can't believe someone else had to put little plot bunny into my brain! I hope you like it


	3. Getting Comfortable

Title: Developments and Changes Part 3: Getting Comfortable  
Author: Trista Groulx  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds, it belongs to its creator, network, writers, actors and actresses who bring it to life.  
Summary: Prentiss and Reid are getting ready to welcome their new baby, but first they need to tell a few more people, and deal with a few more bumps.  
Notes: I felt the need to show that Reid is growing up a little bit. He's still nervous but he's getting used to it. The second half was one of the original plot bunnies. Never thought it would take me this far.

* * *

The team were on their way back after a case. Since finding out about the baby Reid and Prentiss were not as guarded when they were on a case. Prentiss was curled up comfortably with Reid. Her head resting on his shoulder, wanting to get some sleep, but the kicks from the baby were too strong and she couldn't relax enough to get to sleep.

"Try to get some rest," Reid almost begged. "I know it's been thirty six hours since you've slept, and it's bad for the baby."

"Even if I wanted to sleep right now I can't. Your daughter does not like to fly, and she likes to take out her anger about it by using my bladder like a soccer ball."

Reid gently laid his hands on her belly lovingly. The baby was kicking like crazy, and he was trying not to pull his hands away from her because the kicks were a little stronger then he liked. But he knew Prentiss needed her rest, and there was only one thing that put the baby to sleep, and he couldn't do the thing that always put Prentiss to sleep on the plane with their colleagues there.

"You don't believe me?" Prentiss asked. "She gets like this every time she's on the jet, and the stronger she gets the worse it is."

Reid wanted to help. He knew that Prentiss needed to sleep, and he knew one way that always got the baby to calm down. He felt a little embarrassed doing it on the plane, but Prentiss always told him he had to be more comfortable in his own skin. He knew she was right, he was sick of being a scared kid. Prentiss had closed her eyes, knowing what he was going to do, hoping it would help.

"I know you don't like it in the plane, Amorino, but you and your mom need your rest," he said softly, then began to tell the baby a native myth.

Reid didn't even notice that the whole team was watching him as he spoke, telling a story. Reid was reciting from memory one of the many stories about The Raven who was a trickster. By the time he was finished with the story, Emily had fallen asleep, and the kicks from the baby had stopped.

"How did you do that?" JJ asked from where she was sitting across from them.

"I'm a magician," Reid reminded her, trying not to blush when he realised everyone had heard him.

"Why Native American mythology?" asked Morgan.

"I try to switch it up. I've always liked mythology, and they are easy to remember because they are meant to be spoken aloud."

"At least she will be well rounded," JJ laughed. "It kind of makes me wonder what you read to Henry when you watch him."

"I usually just pick a book from the bookshelf in his room. I don't bring children's books with me so I just try to think of a story I can remember and it's usually some kind of myth. The important thing isn't what I'm saying. It's that she's responding to my voice."

"You're right, it's sweet that you do that."

Reid blushed a little then he yawned. "I think Emily is onto something having a nap."

"You're right, she is."

Reid closed his eyes, and soon fell asleep. When he woke because the plane was landing he was curled up into Prentiss. He always liked it when he got to wake up next to her, no matter where they might be. Having her in his arms kept the nightmares away. Reid stretched out a little, and realised that Prentiss was still asleep.

"Dolcezza, it's time to go home," he whispered.

Prentiss grumbled and opened her eyes. "Yeah, how about you drive tonight? I'm tired."

"Sure," he agreed. "Hotch do we need to go inside or can we head straight home?"

"It's late and everyone's tired, let's do the paperwork tomorrow," Hotch replied.

They both got up and he put his hand on the small of her back gently as they walked out of the plane together. It felt nice to not act different because they were with the team anymore. They walked together to their car. Reid opened the door for her, and she slid into the car. She put her seatbelt on, and closed her eyes. She was asleep again before he started the car.

When they got to their place he helped her into the house. The two of them got changed for bed. Prentiss was in a pair of shorts and a spaghetti strap tank top, while Reid wore a pair of shorts. Reid pulled her to him again, wanting to get back to sleep after the case they had been on. Prentiss would usually make herself comfortable in his arms, but she instead grumbled loudly.

"What's wrong Dolcezza?" he asked.

"She's awake again Spencer. She's getting so strong," Prentiss sighed. "I'm tired."

"I know Emily. I'll get one of the books Mom gave us."

Reid stood up and went through one of the boxes his mother hand given him. He looked at the titles for a few minutes. They were planning on putting the books in the nursery when they finally had time to finish it. So far it had been painted, but they hadn't had time to put in the furniture they had bought. He finally found a book that looked interesting to him. He pulled it out then got back into the bed.

"That's a good idea," Prentiss said, smiling. "Maybe we talked too soon about this pregnancy being easy on me."

"No, you worry too much Dolcezza. Let's see if this works."

Reid began to read the book he'd chosen to her belly, he had chose the Velveteen Rabbit from the box. Prentiss smiled watching him as he read to her belly excitedly. She couldn't wait till she could watch him read stories to their daughter. He got so into the story telling, and she knew once the baby got older he would even do voices. He got about half way through the book then he stopped.

"This book is horrible," Reid stated. "This poor kid loses the toy that means the most to him. Why is this a classic?"

"The point is that the child loves his rabbit toy so much he becomes a real rabbit," Prentiss pointed out.

"Yes, but the kid doesn't get to keep the rabbit. I'm not reading this to the baby when she's born."

"Your mother read all of these books to you, and you turned out all right. Other then your constant need to over-think everything. It's a cute children's story, it's one of my favourites."

"Then you read it to her. Cause I don't like it."

"I plan to. I don't understand how this is any worse then myths to tell her," she sighed.

"The myths teach her about different cultures. She should be well rounded, and accepting of different cultures. Right Amorino you want to know all about everything the world just like your mom and dad?"

She laughed feeling a slight kick. "We need to stop calling her Amorino and the baby. Do you have any name ideas?"

"Yeah I do!" he said getting excited.

Reid had been looking up names and their meanings for weeks now. He was wondering when they might talk about baby names. He had huge list of names in his head, and he knew they would agree on something. He pulled Prentiss into his arms, and she curled into him, ready for a long night of debate. She was tired, but she wanted to get this over with before the baby was born.

"All right, good, so do I, hopefully we can agree on something," Prentiss said, smiling, before she kissed him softly.

"I'm sure we can. How hard can be it to name our child?" he asked. "It can't be that hard. I kind of like the name Gwendolyn or Guinevere."

Prentiss laughed. "You're kidding right, Spencer?"

"Uh, no, I've always liked the name Gwen, I know the Guinevere makes you think of Lancelot and King Arthur, but then she'll like those myths. It would be kind of nice to give her a name from a myth or a story since I tell her so many."

"I'm not sure if I want to name her something from a myth or story. There is no way I am naming our daughter either names. I don't like them at all. What do you think of Summer or maybe Sky?"

He gave her a cock-eyed look. "Dolcezza, when did we become hippies? I don't really like those nature names much."

"I like earthy names. They are so cute. But all right, since I'm pretty against names from myths. What else do you have?"

"All right nothing from myths and let's leave nature where it belongs. What about Harriett or Olivia?"

"No! She's a baby not an old lady!"

"What? They're nice classic names," Reid defended.

"No, they are old names. They'd make her seem like an old lady. No classic names either, we are never going to be able to agree on anything it's like we are on different plants here."

This was going to be harder then they had both thought it would be. The two of them really had very different ideas of what to name the baby. They were still curled up into each other, but they were both starting to yawn, the last few days catching up to them. Their power nap on the plane would only hold them for so long. There was going to be a lot of rules to naming the baby.

"I've always liked that names Savannah and Dakota," Prentiss suggested.

"Isn't a savannah, something found in nature?" Reid asked, and she nodded. "Also, seriously, state names? Emily I don't want her to wonder for the rest of her life if she's named after the state or city she was conceived in cause that could seriously mess with someone's head."

"All right fair enough, I never really thought about that before. It makes me not like those names as much anymore."

"All right, I've always like the names Pauline and Thomasina."

"No, no guys names changed to sound feminine. I might like quirky names but at least I don't like names that will get her beaten up and teased every day of her life. This is harder then I thought it would be."

"It's not your name doesn't get you beaten up at school Emily."

"You have never been a teenaged girl. Trust me."

"I still don't see the problem with classic names, or a name that means something to us both somehow."

"It can mean something, but I don't want something that is stuffy and old," she sighed. "What do you think of the name McKenzie or McKenna?"

"The "Mc" prefix classically means "son of" You just said no converted men's names. Now that I've thought about that I don't want my daughter to have a man's name. I don't want her to think we wanted a son and not her. What about Sophia?" he asked, pronouncing it the classic way, so-ff-eye-a. "It means wise."

"I like that name, but it would drive you insane when someone pronounced it the usual more American way, and your head would explode if she went by Sophie, so no. But Sonya is a variation of Sophia, if you like that."

."You're right. Sonya? I never thought about it before. But I like it. What do you think Amorino?" he asked her belly. "Do you like the name Sonya?"

The pair of them laid their hands on her belly. At the same time they both felt the baby kick, it was another small kick. Both of them were glad that she seemed to calming down so that they might get a good night's sleep. Reid had trouble staying asleep when he knew that Prentiss was uncomfortable from the baby, and would start trying anything to calm her down.

"I guess that means she likes it," Prentiss said, grinning. "Who's last name is she going to have?"

"I was thinking that we would hyphenate our names."

"All right that's what I thought we would do as well. She'll need a middle name."

"What about something simple, like Hope?"

She nodded. "That's nice, Spencer."

"I'm glad you like it Dolcezza, at least that part was easy."

"It's a perfect name for her since we both have so much we hope for her."

He nodded, and gently placed his hands on her belly. Prentiss smiled she loved that he would not feel for the baby kicks, excitedly. She had hoped that he would do this, but was never sure he would get over his fears.

"I think you reading her a bedtime story put her to sleep."

He kissed Prentiss gently. "Maybe we should do the same?"

They curled up into each other. Kissing each other softly before they closed their eyes. They both drifted off into a long and restful sleep. Glad that they had overcome one more challenge that came with having a baby. It had been the hardest thing they had had to do, and they had managed to agree.

End part 3

Notes: I have had the name picked out for a while now, it was pretty hard to think of something that sounded nice with the last name "Prentiss-Reid." Sorry if your name is any of those which were shot down. Tell me what you think of the baby name.


	4. A Baby Shower!

Title: Developments and Changes Part 4: A Baby Shower!  
Author: Trista Groulx  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds, it belongs to its creator, network, writers, actors and actresses who bring it to life.  
Summary: Prentiss and Reid are getting ready to welcome their new baby, but first they need to tell a few more people, and deal with a few more bumps.  
Notes: I felt the need to write about their baby shower. I'm not a fan of baby showers either, I've only been to a few, but I figure Garcia could make it fun!

* * *

Reid was fixing his tie as he got waited for Prentiss to come down ready for the baby shower that Garcia was throwing for them. Prentiss was in another long flowing maternity dress. She liked to to wear them because they were comfortable, and showed of her silhouette nicely. Reid smiled when he saw his wife coming down the stairs. He was wearing a pair of tan slacks, a light blue button down shirt and "Chipmunks" tie.

"I thought that baby showers were for women," Reid complained.

"Not anymore Spencer," Prentiss told him. "Besides, I can't do this without you, you know I need you there for events involving my mother."

"It's not like your mother planned this one. Garcia did this for us it's going to be fine."

"If it's going to be great why are you trying to get out of it?"

"I'm not the kind of person who enjoys large gatherings, and I've never been to a baby shower before."

"It's going to be our friends and my mother, and maybe a few other people that you met at our reception. Interesting choice of tie."

"I figure if Garcia is going to make me endure a baby shower, I am going to make her wonder about how I managed to match."

Prentiss laughed. "Did you find something to match?"

"It's not an exact match, but yes. With that squeakel movie out now there is a lot of merchandise. The Chipmunks is the only cartoon I remember watching growing up, I always liked Simon. I thought something a little childish for this event would be appropriate."

"You would prefer the smart one, to the cheeky one," she laughed, before she kissed his cheek softly. "I think so too. I like your Chipmunks tie, but I think I'll prefer your boxers."

"You always do. Although I will never understand why you prefer me looking scrawny and shy in strange boxers then geeky and fully dressed in a normalish tie."

"Because when you are in your, sometimes funny, boxers I know that I am going to see you naked soon, and I like you best when you're naked."

He blushed. "That is something I will never understand, but I am grateful for."

She kissed him, this time on the lips. It started of sweet and chaste but soon turned frenzied. Her hands were in his hair then one started down his back. Soon one of her hands was on his ass pulling him close to her. Reid pulled away from the kiss, reluctantly. Knowing that if they were late Garcia would come in search of them, he still had an irrational fear of being walked in on when he was with his wife.

"We're going to be late," he told her.

"So? It's our party, we can be late," she told him.

"I do not want to have to tell Garcia we were late because you needed to see my boxers, which led to a quickie."

"Spencer Reid you don't know how to have a quickie."

"Then that's another problem now isn't it?"

"No, not really," she replied. "I don't care if we are late. Weren't you the one who said he didn't want to go."

"This is not a good way to get out of it. If we miss this because of that Garcia will never let either of us live it down. As much as I don't want to do this, we should go."

"Fine, you're no fun sometimes."

"I'll make it up to you Dolcezza."

"You'd better."

"I always do Emily. Always."

The two of them headed outside to their car. He put his hand on her back as they walked to the car. She handed him the keys. Normally she liked to drive, but with her belly getting larger she didn't feel comfortable behind the wheel anymore. He smiled then opened the passenger side door for her. She got in, then he went over to the driver's side.

"Should we tell them we've picked a name?" Reid asked.

"I'd like that," Prentiss replied. "I'm getting sick of all the nicknames Garcia has thought up for her."

"She'll probably call her one of them after she is born though, or think of a new one."

"Just like you will always call her Amorino when you think no one is listening," she told him with a grin.

He smiled. "Did I tell you yet that you look amazing?"

"No, but thank you Spencer, I needed to hear that, I'm starting to feel pretty big." She kissed his cheek gently.

Reid moved to capture her lips. She pulled him closer to her, her tongue exploring his warm mouth. She ran her hands through his hair, as his hands slipped down her back, and under her ass. Prentiss smiled, glad that he was getting more comfortable touching her in places other then a locked room.

"Spencer Reid you are going to make us late for our own party if you keep that up," she purred. "You know what that does to me."

"I'll stop, but when we get home I think I'm going to have to have to show you just how much I love you."

"You know all of this is going to change when the baby arrives right?"

He nodded. "I know Dolcezza, but it doesn't mean our fun will stop."

He started the car and started toward the venue where the shower being held. Garcia had rented a hall, and had found a catering company. When they went inside Reid was glad to see that the gathering was still small. Ambassador Prentiss had a way with making people do things the way she wanted. He was surprised that Garcia had managed to stand her ground. But then again the tech queen of the BAU could do just about anything.

Both of them were shocked to discover that the whole place wasn't decorated in pink. Garcia had found baby shower decorations which were light purple and green. There were streamers, and balloons, even the table clothes and napkins matched. All of the tables had centre pieces which were baby bottles various baby things inside. Tiny stuffed toys, soothers, and diaper pins.

Garcia came over and gave the both hugs. "Do you love it?" she asked.

"We do thank you," Prentiss assured her. "It's amazing, she's going to love to see the pictures of her baby shower when she grows up."

"Great," Garcia put her hands on Prentiss' belly. "Don't forget your Auntie Penny did all of this for you Mini-Genius." She felt the baby kick a few times. "Wow she's getting so strong Emily."

"I know, she might have tried to hide from us for he first half, but now she wants everyone to know that she is there, and she's very excited to escape."

"She just wants to explore the world," Reid said. "Right Amorino, you just want to see who all these crazy people who liek to talk to you, don't you?"

"I know you Boy Genius I never really thought you'd be so, involved. The way you were with JJ I thought you'd be freaked out by the whole baby thing the rest of your life."

"JJ isn't my wife. I had never seen a woman go through a pregnancy before. Everything was new to me. I didn't realise just how strong babies could be before they were even born. Now I've done my research. Besides, Emily had to threaten me in order to get over me over my fears."

Garcia laughed. "I would too, Sweetness. But it's nice to see that you are so involved, it's adorable."

JJ came over to them, she was carrying Henry, and Will followed. "Emily you look beautiful. Isn't she just glowing?"

"She is, I hope this isn't your way of tellin' me you want to have another baby," Will laughed.

"I think I'm still happy with Henry."

"Big Bewwy!" Henry exclaimed, his hands going toward Emily's stomach.

"That's right big guy," Reid said. "That's your kind of cousin growing inside of aunt Emily."

Emily laughed feeling Henry's tiny hands on her belly. His eye grew wide when he felt the baby kicking. He then started to giggle. Will, JJ, Reid and Prentiss all watched the toddler, smiling. They loved the look on his face when he was trying to learn something new. Reid and Prentiss looked at each other, grinning, they couldn't wait until it was their child who was exploring the world.

"Baby!" he laughed. "Hi Baby! You come pway!"

"It's going to be a little while before the baby can come play," JJ told the two and half year old. He pouted slightly.

"Uncie 'Pence you pway wit me?" he asked hopefully.

"Sure Buddy, what do you want to play?"

Henry toddled off and came back with his wooden blocks that JJ had packed along with a few other toys to keep him occupied. Reid sat down on the floor in a corner out of the way with his godson, and they began building and spelling with the blocks. Prentiss watched, she rubbed her belly a little, grinning. Her mind drifting thinking about when she would be able to watch him with their child.

"He's going to be an amazing father," JJ told her friend.

"I know. I look at him with Henry and I wonder how is the same person who I met when I first started working at the BAU. He can still be so awkward, but when he's with Henry, he's so amazing."

"He surprised me too the first time I asked him to watch Henry. After I saw how excited he would get when he got to come over and play with him I knew I picked the perfect godfather for him. I keep thinking about the day when I get to watch him on the floor playing with all of the kids."

Jack Hotchner had come over and joined in the game. Helping show Henry different words to spell, and making sure that the toddler's towers didn't come tumbling down. JJ and Prentiss glanced over at Hotch, and noticed a content grin wash over his face. That was something they hadn't seen on their boss' lips in a long time. He took just watched as the two kids, and the over grown child played.

"Did I tell you we chose a name?" Prentiss asked JJ.

Garcia over heard. "Oh that's so exciting! What did you decide on?"

"Sonya," Emily replied. "Sonya Hope Prentiss-Reid."

"That's so cute! So you still haven't managed to talk Reid into changing to Doctor Prentiss huh?"

Prentiss laughed. "Neither of us want change our names, it would be too confusing at work."

"That's a loaded name," said Rossi, who had been lurking near the women. "Sonya means wise, you two have a lot of dreams for the little cherub."

"I guess we do."

"Little cherub?" JJ asked.

"That's what her nickname means."

"Leave it to Spence to find a nickname like that. How long did it take you to chose a name?"

"Too long," laughed Prentiss. "We had some very different ideas about what we wanted to name her. But I'm glad we finally agreed on something. It was easier to agree on her middle name, and to hyphenate her name."

"Did I hear that right, you picked a name?" Morgan asked as he walked by.

"Yeah, we decided to name her Sonya."

"I really like that. Hotch owes me twenty bucks he bet me you two wouldn't agree on a name till after she was born."

The team scattered when they saw Ambassador Prentiss coming over, looking very determined. Prentiss glanced at Reid needing his hand to deal with her. Reid was too distracted playing with the two boys to realise what else was going on. She wasn't sure what to expect, but was shocked when her mother hugged her gently.

"I don't think I've told you before how proud I am of you," Elizabeth told her daughter.

"Mom?" she asked confused.

"I thought it was time you hear it. For a long time I wondered why you chose a man like Spencer to be your husband. But I finally understand. Just look at how he is with those children. He's going to be a great father, and I know he's already a great husband to you. I needed you to know, Emily. You know I'm not heartless."

"Thank you Mom," Prentiss said, tears in her eyes.

Reid had glanced over her direction, to make sure she was all right. When he saw her he knew that something was right. Prentiss never looked like that. As much fun as he was having with Jack and Henry he knew he needed to stop.

"I'll be back," he told the two boys. "Keep playing." He dashed over to his wife. "What's wrong Dolcezza?" he asked taking her into his arms.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm just a little overwhelmed."

"Come over here, and sit for a moment."

She nodded and let him lead her to a chair. She sat down, knowing better then to try to argue with him. He was only trying to be helpful, but sometimes he would go overboard. She couldn't wait for the baby to be born so he would relax a little bit, and his need to be helpful would be shared between the two of them. He handed her a cup of water. She smiled and took a sip.

"It's not a big deal Spencer. I'm fine. I told you, I'm just overwhelmed. My mother just told me she was proud of me," she explained. "She's never told me that in my life."

He smiled. "I'm glad that she did." He kissed her forehead. "I'm happy you're okay."

"I'll be okay as long as I always know you'll be there for me."

"Always, Dolcezza, for you and for Sonya, I promise."

She leaned over and kissed him softly. She was shocked when he didn't blush. She depended the kiss, running her hands through his hair. He smiled and pulled her closer to him. It felt nice to be able to be caught up in a moment together any time she wanted.

The End

Notes: The baby will come in the next part I promise. I shouldn't be evil but well you know me I don't always mean to. Then I'm gonna do a flash-forward epilogue of sorts then that's it. I have been trying to fit in that Chipmunks thing for a while hehe...


End file.
